The Move Online: Where Are They Now? Carl Wayne

"You could say the Move were the original anarchist band, the first punks," laughs Carl Wayne, recalling his time as lead singer with the sixties Brummie group.

"We smashed up televisions and instruments on stage and once chain-sawed a Cadillac to pieces. And can there be greater anarchy than being accused of maliciously libelling the most powerful man in Britain?"

Carl, aged 57, is referring to the 1967 'Flowers in the Rain' when Move manager Tony Secunda issued a saucy postcard featuring Prime Minister Harold Wilson to promote the single.

Mr Wilson sued the band - and won, meaning all the record's royalties go into a trust fund administered by the ex-PM's family. It's a situation that still rankles with Carl.

"The band had nothing to do with the stunt, it was engineered by our manager," he says. "It's not that I want the money back, I'd just like a say in where it goes. I run marathons to raise money for Leukemia research so I'd like my share of the royalties to go to a cancer charity."

Carl is even planning to write a book, 'Unfinished Business', about the incident - but he currently has more pressing matters to attend to. He has recently agreed to join the Hollies and hopes to help them find new markets, particularly in America.

"I think the Hollies could appeal to country music fans," he asserts. "I agreed to join them because they still attract an audience in their own right, they don't go around as part of a nostalgia package tour."

Joining the Hollies is just the latest stage in Castle Bromwich-born Carl's career which has embraced the West End stage, television commercials and variety shows.

He initially hit the big time with the Move, alongside Roy Wood, Chris 'Ace' Kefford, Trevor Burton and Bev Bevan. In 1967 there were three hit singles in the UK, Night of Fear, I Can Hear The Grass Grow and Flowers in the Rain.

The following year saw further success with Fire Brigade and Blackberry Way but the group began to fall apart with the departures of Kefford and Burton.

Following the single Curly in 1969 Carl also left to pursue a solo career. There were numerous appearances and for six years he starred in the West End play Blood Brothers, taking the role of the narrator.

Lucrative sideline

There was also a lucrative sideline with television commercials.

"I record songs for them," he explains. "Many of the most well known adverts on television feature my vocals.

"When I was working with Blood Brothers I was able to tape the songs during the day then appear on stage at night. A very satisfactory arrangement!"

Carl married actress Sue Hanson - Diane in Crossroads - in 1974 and their son Jack is now 15 years old.

His days with the Move still loom large in his life, particularly as the band's material continues to be re-issued.

"I've had a tape in my house for 30 years and it turns out to be a live Move performance at the Fillmore in 1969," Carl says.

"We believe it's the only complete Move concert tape in existence so we're looking to release it later this year."

Also planned is the release of a Carl Wayne solo album featuring Roy Wood material, recorded when Carl left the Move, and a BBC sessions CD.

With a Hollies tour and album in the pipeline Carl has never been busier. Not bad for the original Birmingham punk!

Transcribed by Lynn Hoskins

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